Illinois getting swine flu vaccine within 4 weeks

Illinois should receive its initial delivery of nearly two million individual doses of H1N1 swine flu vaccines by mid-October, the Illinois Department of Public Health reported today.

Health officials said in a statewide teleconference call that 1.5 million doses in the first shipment will go to 2,783 health provider sites outside Chicago. Slightly less than 500,000 doses will go to 1,045 sites in Chicago.

Those provider sites have each signed agreements with federal health authorities that they will only vaccinate individuals in high-priority categories, including pregnant women, care givers to infants younger than 6 months old, children and young people from 6 months to 24 years old, health-care workers, and 25- to 64-year-olds with serious underlying health problems.

"Some schools may hold mass vaccinations, but that is a decision to be determined by school districts in conjunction local health departments," said department spokeswoman Melaney Arnold.

After those at-risk segments of the population are immunized, the remainder of the general population will be allowed to receive the vaccine, which is being made by four manufacturers who are gearing up to produce 20 million H1N1 vaccine doses a week for as long as necessary, said Arnold. Those weekly deliveries would include 660,000 doses outside Chicago and 200,000 to Chicago.

The federal government is paying for the vaccines, but some providers, such as doctors, private clinics, hospitals and drugstores may charge a fee for delivering the shot.

State officials urged the public to keep abreast of the progress of the flu season and get accurate information about the flu and efforts to contain it by connecting to its website.